How to cool a hot disconnect wire

[Jyetman]

I have a maxspect razor LED fixture and the wire that goes into the fixture side runs extremely hot when ramped up. It has developed an occasional flicker when I move the connector wire it stops. My guess the heat has caused cold solder joints inside the quick disconnect connector. How can I cool this cable down can I use aluminum foil wrap the wire and leave part of the aluminum foil fanned out like a heat sink will this work? Its the wire to fixture that's hot. The fans never come on in fact I have a digital thermometer attached it reads 102 F so not the fixture. Its out of warranty and the cable is $40 to ship. I'm planning on buying another better quality fixture and don't want to spend the money fixing this one. Its been flickering for over a year now so doesn't seem to cause other issues just annoying.

 

[Steve Atkins]

If you leave it going you will more likely need a fire extinguisher than aluminium foil.

You would be better off bypassing the fualty connector (if this really is the cause) and hard soldering the wires to the unit.

Unless of course you have a underlying desire to get an honourable mention in the Darwin Awards contender list.

 

[Mark75]

Unplug this light,...the heat is just a symptom of the real problem. The light is pulling more current then the wiring is designed to carry. This is the perfect storm for an electrical fire. If you are lucky it will only trip a breaker but it could be much worse.

 

[Jyetman]

I've gone to a local fish store who also carries the exact same fixture. As like mine their cable connectors are identically hot except theirs isn't flickering when you move the cable. Apparently they are made china cheap using small gauge wires.

 

[Steve Atkins]

Unplug this light,...the heat is just a symptom of the real problem. The light is pulling more current then the wiring is designed to carry. This is the perfect storm for an electrical fire. If you are lucky it will only trip a breaker but it could be much worse.

No necessarily.

It could just as easily be a proken wire of other bad connection. A bad connection will increase resistance and this area of high resistance will generate heat.

 

[Mark75]

No necessarily.



It could just as easily be a proken wire of other bad connection. A bad connection will increase resistance and this area of high resistance will generate heat.

So you suggest leaving it plugged in and just monitoring it for smoke?

 

[Steve Atkins]

So you suggest leaving it plugged in and just monitoring it for smoke?

Although monitoring for smoke does seem to be in line with the OP's planned approach, what I was actually saying is that the lamp may not be drawing more current than the wiring was designed for. I was postulating that the problem may be just as easily, even possibly more likely, caused by a fault having developed in the wiring or the connection.

 

[theatrus]

If the wire is running hot it's under spec for the rated current.

It's likely the connector has failed due to other reasons, most likely corrosion. A hot wire would have to deform the housing in order to provide a heat related failure, which would be very hot.

 

[Jyetman]

If the wire is running hot it's under spec for the rated current.

It's likely the connector has failed due to other reasons, most likely corrosion. A hot wire would have to deform the housing in order to provide a heat related failure, which would be very hot.

Its not extremely hot and I can hold my hand around the connector or wire and it doesn't burn. Other exact fixtures like mine are also identically hot to the touch seems like no one is taking that under consideration here.

 

[theatrus]

Anything more than about a 5-10C rise (open air) from cabling just means it's under spec. Copper is expensive.

I doubt that this level of heat would cause connector failures.

 

[Jyetman]

Anything more than about a 5-10C rise (open air) from cabling just means it's under spec. Copper is expensive.

I doubt that this level of heat would cause connector failures.

Unless it had a defect in the connector from a manufacture point.

 

[mcgyvr]

Unless it had a defect in the connector from a manufacture point.

The heat may be normal for that product.. or it may not.. But if you can hold onto it then its not a problem IMO..

But the flickering is not normal.

So
end all doubt..
Open it up and inspect the connection solder joints and check for corrosion on the mating parts of the connector.. take pictures if you don't know what to look for.. Solder issues will show cracks/fractures around the pins..
Corrosion issues will be discoloration/growth/salt creep,etc...

 

[Jyetman]

The heat may be normal for that product.. or it may not.. But if you can hold onto it then its not a problem IMO..

But the flickering is not normal.

So
end all doubt..
Open it up and inspect the connection solder joints and check for corrosion on the mating parts of the connector.. take pictures if you don't know what to look for.. Solder issues will show cracks/fractures around the pins..
Corrosion issues will be discoloration/growth/salt creep,etc...

I've done this the connecter goes directly to the driver board. That driver board was replaced almost a year ago. It was flickering before the board was replaced. It has to be the connector.